Contrary to the evidence otherwise — I haven’t slipped into the abyss and abandoned this beloved blog in the process. Life just got incredibly full — a brand spankin’ new job (after 5 years of being a stay at home mom), birthday parties, urgent care visits and an obscene amount laundry.

I’m figuring the balance out and after 3 weeks on the job — I think I’m getting the hang of it.

It’s definitely a challenge to find the time and energy to do stuff around the house but I’m excited to pretty up my cubicle at work. I took a trip to World Market today and found a few goodies for my desk!

So life lately has been full of change. The kind of good change that makes you stand back, cross your arms and smile at it all.

The thing I hate most about renting is the fact that storage can be lacking. Over the years, adding three kids to the mix, our stuff has tripled in size. So staying organized is probably my top priority. Along the way I’ve found a few things that work to keep the chaos to a minimum.

1. Use dressers as furniture

This is probably my favorite tip of all time. When space is limited — a dresser can literally double or triple your storage instantly. We use one in our kitchen to house the overflow of dishes and plastic containers. It also holds all of our girl’s school stuff. The dresser we turned into our TV console changed my life. No exaggeration. It hides all the TV gear, DVDs and a ton of games.

2. Ditch the junk drawer

I have to admit that having a junk drawer is pretty tempting — but do you honestly need the junk? Organize and find a home for the junk or get rid of it. That drawer is prime real estate that could be used way more wisely than for junk.

3. Grab a storage cabinet

Make the most of closet space or a long empty wall with a storage cabinet. I have several and I use them for all sorts of things — toys, shoes, office supplies and for linens. They make some pretty ones so it’s fairly easy to find one that meets your needs.

4. Use baskets

The easiest way to corral a bunch of stuff and make it look neat and tidy is to throw it in a basket. And a trick that I use to make it look less cluttery is to add a throw blanket over the top of the stuff.

5. Double Duty Decor

Storage doesn’t have to be hideous or elaborate. When I think of storage — I think of walls of shelving with doors or large plastic bins full of forgotten relics. But storage doesn’t have to be either of those. Think fabric boxes, jars, beautiful baskets, and even trays can be used to store things that don’t have a home.

6. Throw away old stuff

If it doesn’t matter — get rid of it. I have to keep this mantra in mind because it’s easy to get weighed down by a bunch of stuff that is just — stuff. Sometimes it’s hard to let things go — but just imagine how much lighter you and your home will feel when it’s gone. And having a pretty golden trashcan only helps the matter.

7. A place for everything

This has been the hardest thing for me — especially having 3 kids with a ton of stuff. Assign all your stuff a place to live. It cuts down on the chaos of looking for things because you know where to find it. And of course the biggest rule for this is to put things back where they belong.

I actually think organizing may be the bane of my existence since it’s one of those never ending tasks — like laundry — that are never done. But these tips really help to keep the chaos at bay.

Awhile back I found the most adorable little framed feather wall hangings at Hobby Lobby for $4. They were so charming and had a short stint in the downstairs powder room and then they made an appearance in the bedroom as a duo.

And now — one of them has become a jewelry tray that lives on my bedside table.

It’s perfect for slipping off my ring and earrings before I go to sleep.

I happen to be a huge fan of repurposing items and using them in ways other than it’s original intent.

It’s small enough to not be intrusive but big enough to hold a few pieces of jewelry. Sometimes all you have to do is look at an item in a different way to discover a whole new use.

I read this quote last week and it stuck with me. Mostly because I always focus on the details. And I often stop and ask myself if having fresh flowers on the bedside table really matter or if the pictures I choose to hang on the walls matter.

The answer is yes.

I get paralyzed sometimes by the big picture. By knowing that my list is soooo long. But when I break it down to the small details and work my way out — it somehow gets easier for me.

So in the scheme of things — whether my pillows match my quilt isn’t that big of a deal — but they make me smile and make walking into my bedroom a joy.

I started getting my home ready for spring. Adding lighter colors and switching out pillows. These details make me happy.

Life is beautiful. Not just because of pretty things or a nicely laid out room. But because of the things that matter the most.

I’ve been having a hard time sleeping lately. I lay down at night and run long to-do lists in my head like a crazy person. And it won’t stop. I have a few theories as to why this is happening to me. Could be social media overstimulization. Could be Seasonal Affective Disorder SAD. Or it could be that giant cup of coffee I drink at 4pm to get me through the rest of the day.

It’s totally the coffee.

My friend told me about this ambient music website that helps her fall asleep and I was super skeptical. I mean whale noises and chirping birds don’t really do it for me.

I went ahead and tried it anyway. This music is so calming I’m not even kidding. My husband was asleep is 3 seconds (that is totally NOT an exaggeration). It took me awhile longer cause you know — lists.

I am most definitely in love with this tufted bench with antiqued gold legs from Target. And when the Target associate told me that it has been discontinued and it also happened to be the last one on the shelf — I grabbed it without a second thought. But when I got it home — I wasn’t wowed. So back it went. I hope it finds a good home.

I did some rearranging and crazy, frenzied spring cleaning in the kitchen and I loved how fresh it felt. Now I only have about 5 other rooms to spring clean.

42 days into the year and I have been feeling so creative. Winter seems to be winding down here in Houston and with a week of 70 degree weather — I have been spring cleaning like a mad woman. I’ve thrown open the windows and put away the flannel sheets in favor of bright colors and light linens.

I took a few minutes the other morning and sat down with my daughter’s watercolors. Of course, a pear was the outcome. But it was such a refreshing way to spend the morning. Slowing down and creating something pretty. It’s something I vow to do on a regular basis. I was really over the monochromatic bedroom that I did a few months ago. It was — dare I say– boring. I was craving white, bright colors, and a fresher look. So I took everything off the walls and out of the room and just went for it. It turned out great and I can’t wait to share the full refresh next week. I still have a few little tweaks to make. Gray and gold is my favorite color combo lately. And always.

I got a chance to get out and get a mani/pedi for the first time in months. #treatyoself. And of course I match my toenail polish to my shirt. Doesn’t everyone?